What role does faith play when facing overwhelming odds, according to Isaiah 36:2?

The Imposing Scene

“Then the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh, along with a great army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. The Rabshakeh stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the road to the Fuller’s Field.” (Isaiah 36:2)

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Where Faith Steps In

• The verse paints a picture of sheer intimidation: a powerful empire, a “great army,” and a spokesman stationed just outside Jerusalem’s walls.

• Hezekiah’s forces were vastly outnumbered (cf. 2 Chronicles 32:1), yet he chose not to capitulate or craft alliances—his primary response was dependence on God (Isaiah 37:1,14).

• Faith’s role is therefore immediate and foundational: before a single arrow is loosed, trust determines the posture of God’s people.

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What Faith Does in Moments Like This

• Shifts focus from the size of the threat to the sovereignty of God (Psalm 46:1-2).

• Rejects human solutions that compromise obedience (Isaiah 31:1).

• Invites divine intervention: “Because you have prayed to Me… I have heard” (Isaiah 37:21).

• Generates courage for leaders and people alike (2 Chronicles 32:7-8).

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Faith Confirmed by Outcome

• That night the Angel of the LORD struck down 185,000 in the Assyrian camp (Isaiah 37:36).

• No military maneuver from Jerusalem accomplished this; faith released God’s deliverance.

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Living the Principle Today

• Identify looming “Assyrian armies” in your life—problems outmatching your resources.

• Refuse to negotiate with fear; run first to prayer and Scripture, just as Hezekiah did.

• Rest in God’s proven character: “The battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15).

• Expect God to act in His timing and way, confident that faith is never a passive stance but a bold reliance on an unfailing Lord.